Protesters walk in Albany to convince Cuomo not to allow gas drilling in the state

Updated 10:38 am, Tuesday, August 28, 2012

But they did something that, for a politician, may be just as symbolically painful: They painted him as a fat cat, stuffing his pockets full of phony cash from the gas drilling industry.

That happened during a brief street theater demonstration in which participants tore down a symbolic gas well set up in front of the state Department of Environmental Conservation's headquarters and replaced it with a metaphorical wind turbine.

While fracking protesters have been marching through the Capitol and demonstrating for more than a year, Monday's event was a bit bigger and a bit more highly organized than usual, featuring luminaries like actress Debra Winger, who lives in Sullivan County, and author Bill McKibben, who has written extensively about global climate change and other threats to the natural environment.

Although many in the state's political class were either running in primaries, partying at the GOP convention in Tampa or preparing for the Democratic convention in North Carolina next week, anti-frackers believed this was a good time to make one final summer push since they expect Cuomo to make a decision on fracking in September.

Actress Debra Winger talks to David Braun, of United for Action and New Yorkers Against Fracking, as they participate in an anti-fracking rally Monday at the Corning Preserve in Albany. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union) less

Actress Debra Winger talks to David Braun, of United for Action and New Yorkers Against Fracking, as they participate in an anti-fracking rally Monday at the Corning Preserve in Albany. (Lori Van Buren / Times ... more

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 3 of 21

Hundreds of people march Monday from the Corning Preserve to the DEC building during an anti-fracking rally Monday at the Corning Preserve in Albany. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Hundreds of people march Monday from the Corning Preserve to the DEC building during an anti-fracking rally Monday at the Corning Preserve in Albany. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 4 of 21

A skit is performed Monday in front of the DEC building on Broadway during an anti-fracking rally in Albany. The skit included actors portraying Governor Cuomo, the devil, an angel and anti-frack protesters who take down a fracking tower and erect wind turbines. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union) less

A skit is performed Monday in front of the DEC building on Broadway during an anti-fracking rally in Albany. The skit included actors portraying Governor Cuomo, the devil, an angel and anti-frack protesters who ... more

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 5 of 21

A skit is performed Monday in front of the DEC building on Broadway during an anti-fracking rally in Albany. The skit included actors portraying Governor Cuomo, the devil, an angel and anti-frack protesters who take down a fracking tower and erect wind turbines. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union) less

A skit is performed Monday in front of the DEC building on Broadway during an anti-fracking rally in Albany. The skit included actors portraying Governor Cuomo, the devil, an angel and anti-frack protesters who ... more

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 6 of 21

A skit is performed Monday in front of the DEC building on Broadway during an anti-fracking rally in Albany. The skit included actors portraying Governor Cuomo, the devil, an angel and anti-frack protesters who take down a fracking tower and erect wind turbines. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union) less

A skit is performed Monday in front of the DEC building on Broadway during an anti-fracking rally in Albany. The skit included actors portraying Governor Cuomo, the devil, an angel and anti-frack protesters who ... more

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 7 of 21

A skit is performed Monday in front of the DEC building on Broadway during an anti-fracking rally in Albany. The skit included actors portraying Governor Cuomo, the devil, an angel and anti-frack protesters who take down a fracking tower and erect wind turbines. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union) less

A skit is performed Monday in front of the DEC building on Broadway during an anti-fracking rally in Albany. The skit included actors portraying Governor Cuomo, the devil, an angel and anti-frack protesters who ... more

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 8 of 21

Hundreds of protestors march Monday in front of the DEC building on Broadway during an anti-fracking rally in Albany. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Hundreds of protestors march Monday in front of the DEC building on Broadway during an anti-fracking rally in Albany. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 9 of 21

Hundreds of protesters march Monday in front of the DEC building on Broadway during an anti-fracking rally in Albany. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Hundreds of protesters march Monday in front of the DEC building on Broadway during an anti-fracking rally in Albany. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 10 of 21

Hundreds of protesters march Monday in front of the DEC building on Broadway during an anti-fracking rally in Albany. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Hundreds of protesters march Monday in front of the DEC building on Broadway during an anti-fracking rally in Albany. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 11 of 21

Hundreds of protesters march Monday in front of the DEC building on Broadway during an anti-fracking rally in Albany. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Hundreds of protesters march Monday in front of the DEC building on Broadway during an anti-fracking rally in Albany. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 12 of 21

Hundreds of people show up for an anti-fracking rally Monday at the Corning Preserve in Albany. The DEC building, which protesters later marched to, is seen in the background. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Hundreds of people show up for an anti-fracking rally Monday at the Corning Preserve in Albany. The DEC building, which protesters later marched to, is seen in the background. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 13 of 21

Hundreds of people show up Monday for an anti-fracking rally at the Corning Preserve in Albany. The DEC building, which protesters later marched to, is seen in the background. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Hundreds of people show up Monday for an anti-fracking rally at the Corning Preserve in Albany. The DEC building, which protesters later marched to, is seen in the background. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 14 of 21

Hundreds of people show up Monday for an anti-fracking rally at the Corning Preserve in Albany. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Hundreds of people show up Monday for an anti-fracking rally at the Corning Preserve in Albany. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Photo: Lori Van Buren

Image 15 of 21

Hundreds of people show up Monday for an anti-fracking rally at the Corning Preserve in Albany. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Hundreds of people show up Monday for an anti-fracking rally at the Corning Preserve in Albany. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Much of the nearly daylong event focused on the governor and what anti-frackers said was pressure from Big Money gas supporters.

"I want to believe that he can press the 'reset' button today," Winger said of the governor.

By saying "no" to fracking, she suggested that Cuomo would be standing up to the "Bank of 1 percent," referring to the 1 percenters who had been earlier vilified by the Occupy Wall Street movement.

Queens Democratic Sen. Tony Avella, who also came to the protest, said Cuomo would have to answer for accidents or pollution that may result from hydrofracking.

"If you allow hydrofracking in this state, you own it," Avella said. "When the first contamination occurs, you own that, too."

Gas drillers characterized Monday's march as a contrivance.

"Gimmicks, stunts and street theater trivialize the debate and reflect the views of an outspoken and uninformed few. New Yorkers want data, science and reason to strike a balance between the environment and future energy production," Brad Gill, executive director of the state Independent Oil & Gas association said in a prepared statement.

Known as hydrofracking or fracking, horizontal hydraulic fracturing, in which drillers use water, chemicals and high pressure to extract natural gas from deep within the earth, is not currently allowed in New York, although it is being done in Pennsylvania and other states.

A political skit is performed in front of the DEC building on Broadway during an anti-fracking rally in Albany. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

Media: Times Union

Supporters say it can open vast new sources of energy while opponents believe it can pollute water supplies and create other hazards.

Cuomo has said his Department of Environmental Conservation is studying the process and will soon determine whether to move ahead with it or not.

Earlier news reports, though, have suggested that Cuomo is poised to allow a small number of wells, up to 50, to be drilled on a pilot basis largely in the Southern Tier and in communities where people appear to want it.

Protesters on Monday said they would continue to fight fracking, even if it were permitted. "We're not going to let this happen," McKibben said.